


Let the Rain Fall

by tbiris



Series: Once upon a Flower [1]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Anxious Katsuki Yuuri, Developing Relationship, Fluff, M/M, POV Alternating, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-28
Updated: 2017-06-28
Packaged: 2018-11-20 00:39:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11325042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tbiris/pseuds/tbiris
Summary: Victor’s life lived around routine. Each day was the same: he took the bus to the train station, got off one stop early, grabbed coffee for others in the office, waited for the train, and worked for the rest of the day. It was routine, and he did fairly well with it.It was rare that there were deviances. The extra people in line for coffee, someone on the bus that wasn’t there normally. Some days it would even rain. But these were almost a routine in themselves.Until something very different caught his attention.Flower shop AUPart of the Viktuuri Reverse Big Bang 2017





	1. Where Victor learns what living feels like

**Author's Note:**

> I had the absolute joy of working with the wonderful [nikniak](http://nikniak.tumblr.com/) for this work (as both an artist and beta). The first piece he drew (that was shown for choosing who to work with) is actually in the second chapter (because dammit Victor you fall for Yuuri way too fast).
> 
> [[Full images can be found here]](http://nikniak.tumblr.com/post/162416156039/hey-this-is-the-art-i-drew-for-yurionicebigbang)
> 
> Thank you to nemorps as well for being a great sounding board when I got stuck (much love)
> 
> I love this AU too much to leave it alone, so do expect some side pieces later. If there are any particular scenes or prompts for it you would like to see please feel free to share! You can either leave a comment here or hit me up on tumblr under the same username.
> 
> I really hope you enjoy this.
> 
> Last update: Modified images and image links.
> 
> Without further adieu... Welcome to...  
> 

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Victor falls, and falls hard.

 Victor’s life lived around routine. Each day was the same: he took the bus to the train station, got off one stop early, grabbed coffee for others in the office, waited for the train, and worked for the rest of the day. It was routine, and he did fairly well with it.  
   
 It was rare that there were deviances. The extra people in line for coffee, someone on the bus that wasn’t there normally. Some days it would even rain. But these were almost a routine in themselves. Once a week there would be someone he didn’t recognise in the coffee line. Once a month his spot on the bus would be taken. So it was strange that it was taking him so long to place what was different now. Victor glanced around the bus stop, trying to place what had changed. It was easy to find in the young man carrying a large bouquet of flowers, and easier to smell them. Victor laughed. The poor man was drowning in the bouquet. He wasn’t certain how it was possible to even see through the mass of flowers.  
   


  
  


  
 It was strange watching the man stumble his way up the bus, with two familiar faces helping him find his footing and a seat. A strange sensation passed over him as he watched how carefully he worked to preserve the dying blossoms he was carrying. He held the bouquet almost reverently, protesting as other passengers made room for him, smiles on their faces. Smiles?  
   
 Victor felt his own face. Yes, he was smiling too. That accounted for the strange feeling in his face, but not the strange feeling in his chest as the bouquet settled slightly and the man turned to answer questions.  
   
 Thankfully, Victor wasn’t all too far from them himself so he could hear all of the answers. The man worked for Katsuki flowers, no the bouquet wasn’t a typical order, he normally wouldn’t dare take the bus for a delivery but their van was in service and his bike was being repaired.  
   
 It was adorable how flustered he got when he stammered out how he wouldn’t dare take this bouquet by bike either. Victor could see why. The closer he looked, the more delicate it seemed. There were tiny flowers interspersed and their petals looked like all they needed was a gust of wind to blow them away. It was surprising that there wasn’t a pile of petals all over the seats already.  
   
 He took in a deep breath, letting the faint smell wash over him. It wouldn’t be surprising if the scent stayed with him the entire day, and he actually hoped it might. He watched as the man got off two stops later, his eyes following the black mop of hair until the bus pulled away.  
   
 It was the first time that Victor went into work with a smile on his face, and a flower petal in his hand.  
   
 It was a few days until Victor saw the same mop of hair, although normally, he would have missed it. He first noticed the warm scent that emanated from the stop, the familiar light fragrance that ensnared him before. There was no mistaking the scent of those flowers. Yet, he still couldn’t see the man’s face. Victor was closer to the front of the group waiting for the bus, while the mystery man was closer to the back. It was only Victor’s height that let him even see the mop of hair. What would he say anyways? Why did he even want to say anything to a complete stranger?  
   
 Victor heard a few of the women further back teasing the man about this bouquet being much smaller. Victor wanted him to see so badly for absolutely no reason at all. Perhaps it was because of the uplift in his mood. However, if his new mood was the reason then shouldn’t he should actually be thanking whoever sent that first bouquet, not the person that delivered it?  
   
 The stranger kept to himself, only ever answering the questions people asked, at least until someone teased him about what a good boyfriend he’d make. There was something captivating about his blush and the way he would stare down at the flowers.  
   
 Their eyes only met once, when Victor stood to leave. The warmth in those hazel eyes filled Victor and stayed with him through the day, along with the faint traces of flowers.  
   
 “Okay. Spill.” Yuri dumped a new pile of paper onto his desk.  
 Victor raised an eyebrow at his intern and pulled the top paper towards him. “What spillage are you referring to?”  
 “This!” Yuri gestured at him. “You were basically a robot and now you’re humming at work!”  
 “Really?” Victor looked up from the paper. He really hadn’t noticed. Humming at work was something new for him. The job certainly paid the bills, even if he found no particular joy in it anymore.  
 “Don’t get me wrong,” Yuri warned. “It isn’t horrible. Maybe you’ll move on and then I can get your job.”  
 “Always aiming high, aren’t you?” Victor smiled.  
 Yuri scoffed. “Like your job is high. I just need something to pay the bills so I can keep dancing.”  
   
 Victor’s smile twitched a little. Were his own dreams so far gone now? Dance had been part of the reason he had chosen Yuri as his intern. But it was no longer his passion; that shrivelled up with his aspirations at work too. Victor caught himself looking wistfully at one of the window offices.  
 “Whatever. Get yourself some flowers or something stupid to make you feel better.”  
 “You know,” Victor trailed off. Warm eyes filled his thoughts. “I might just do that.” He knew just where to go.  
   
 He had no idea where he was going. Ten blocks from the bus stop, and he still hadn’t managed to find Katsuki flowers. Victor was starting to think that the marvelous young man just spat out a random name to stop people from asking. His GPS had turned him around so many times now that he was sick of the crazy voice.  
   
 Victor finally collapsed onto a bench and sighed. His phone was dead now, and he wasn’t any closer to finding the flower shop. Perhaps he would just go to one of the stations and buy one or two flowers just to make himself feel better. He took in a deep breath and paused. There was a faint aroma, only slightly familiar. Victor looked up from his shoes, and felt like an idiot.  
   
 He had been looking for storefronts, or signs. Katsuki flowers was located behind several gardens. Its storefront was set in from all the other buildings, and looked almost like a miniature park. Victor sunk his head into his hands and laughed. It was no wonder that his phone sent him in circles, he must have walked past it three times. He would just have to make sure that Yuri never found out.  
   
 Victor carefully dusted himself off and walked towards the shop. He glanced at the gardens to either side. Did they cut their own flowers in the warmer months? He could see the green that was poking up, still bright and fresh from the soil. They hadn’t yet taken on the darker hue that came with the summer when everything unfurled to their full glory. He found himself smiling at the thought and wondering what the store would look like at its peak.  
   
 The closer to the door he got, the more he found small patterns of colour. There were several small purple flowers scattered about the green. Closer to the store was an odd brilliance of colour, with more that were the bare beginnings of leaves scattered among them.  
   
 “Hey. No loitering.”  
 Victor raised his head to see a young woman crossing her arms at the door.  
 “Ah! I’m sorry. I was admiring the gardens before coming in.”  
 The woman scoffed and held the door open for him as he entered.  
   
 The scent exploded around him the moment he entered and the colours here contrasted the clear longing of spring that was outside. Here, summer thrived and danced around him.  
 “How can I help you?” The woman asked him pointedly. Victor turned back to her, focusing again.  
 “Sorry, I was just looking for some flowers?”  
 She raised an eyebrow.  
 Victor raised his shoulders slightly. “I’m afraid I’m out of my element here.”  
 “What did you do to piss them off?” She flicked a hand slightly. “Bouquets range from 20-50 dollars right now.”  
 Victor raised his eyebrows. It was oddly cheap for the effort and care that went into all of their plants. His mind stuttered as he realised what she had suggested.  
 “Oh! No, no… other anything.” He waved his hands in front of him. “Just me!”  
 She raised an eyebrow before shrugging.  
 “Any particular reason you want them?”  
 “I… wanted to brighten up my place a bit.”  
 She rolled her eyes. “Colours you’d like? Allergies? Pets?”  
 He was not prepared for any of this line of questioning and felt like he stammered his way through favourite colours, and yes he does have a dog.  
   
 Then she changed. The rockstar girl that glowered at him from the front door faded as she practically floated around the store, grabbing a stem carefully here and there. He was watching a fairy going about the store, bundling small pieces of life in front of him. Then, she was standing in front of him and suddenly the rockstar was back. His mind was still half in that other world when he went to pay. He stood with an armful of warmth and wistful scents wafting around him, and his head still hovering amongst the clouds. He turned to leave, looking back only once when he thought he saw movement. He hesitated, hoping to talk to the strange flower boy. The look on the rockstar’s face deterred him though and he left with the scent of the shop lifting his spirits.  
   
 Displaying the bouquet in his home was more difficult than Victor thought. He sighed wistfully at the gorgeous bouquet, stuck in a tiny glass. He should have bought a vase while he was at the shop. Clearly, he hadn’t been thinking at all. It would have been a much better idea to leave them wrapped and just brought them into work. They definitely had vases there and the bouquet would improve the workplace atmosphere. He frowned at them and looked down at Makkachin.  
 “What do you think, Makka?”  
 Makkachin just leaned against him, looking up balefully. Victor let out a small laugh and scratched her head. “Yes they’ll be good there! You brighten up this room just fine!” He tapped his chin and stared again at the overflowing glass. The only problem now was transportation. He didn’t trust himself to rewrap the bouquet without mangling it terribly. They should be fine for the short walk to the stop though. Yes he would do that, it would be perfect.  
   
 It was not perfect. Carrying the glass filled bouquet was extremely awkward, especially on a windy day. Victor was already running late, having to stop and grab some of the flowers that were blowing away. He already let Yuri know (and if he could get him a coffee that would be stellar and he would take them both for lunch). He wouldn’t be surprised if Yuri didn’t bother simply out of spite for making him deal with the flirty girls that liked to come by in the morning.  
   
 Victor _feels_ like a mess as he lines up at the bus. He can see a few curious glances as he fights to keep his bouquet together. He barely glances at the chuckles he hears until he feels a tap on his shoulder.  
   
 “They aren’t going to last like that.”  
 Victor’s heart leapt into his throat. He wasn’t prepared to come face to face with the florist. He wasn’t _prepared_ for how gorgeous those eyes were or that smile. He felt the flush creep slowly over his cheeks. The shorter man hummed and looked around before picking up a discarded newspaper and gestured at Victor. Victor stared, a little puzzled until the man brushed lightly over the flowers and Victor carefully handed over the tiny glass.  
 “Victor,” he managed to get out. He was still far too distracted by how the sun glinted off of the stranger’s raven hair. How could he _possibly_ have this deep of a crush on someone he’d barely talked to.  
   
 “Yuuri.” Yuuri smiled and handed him back his glass, with the flowers carefully encased in newspaper. Yuuri’s instructions were faint to his ears. He managed to catch where to keep his hands to keep the paper in place, but not much else. His heart was beating out of his chest. Yuuri. _Yuuri_. Similar, but different compared to his Yuri. Where his Yuri was all prickles and thorns, Yuuri was a flower slowly opening with the first breaths of spring, with all the hints and suggestions of the magnificence that he would become with the roaring flames of summer.  
   
 “You’re going to miss your bus,” Yuuri commented. Victor turned and swore before dashing before the driver closed the doors. He glanced out the window, unfortunately he didn’t get a seat this late in the day. Thankfully, he kept his hands right where _Yuuri_ had placed them because the entire thing fell apart the moment that he went to push the button for the elevator.  
   
 A disgruntled Yuri greeted him right off the elevator.  
 “I wasn’t serious. What the-” Victor was certain that Yuri bit his tongue. “Heck are you planning to do with those?”  
 Victor shrugged. “I don’t have a proper container. There’s plenty here though! Is it so bad to lighten up the workplace?”  
 Victor swore a few people turned their heads to look at him. A few more smiles that were tucked away - he had no idea why.  
 Yuri looked disgusted and turned away. “Your schedule’s at your desk along with your coffee. I’m going to go do _my_ work now if you don’t mind?”  
 “Yuri!”  
 He turned with a scowl painted across his entire body. Victor hid a smile. Yuri had scowling down to a very art.  
 “Thank you.”  
 His intern’s body language immediately softened as he turned around again. “Whatever. Vases are in the break room if you want something for that bouquet you bought yourself.” Yuri paused for a moment before looking over his shoulder. “You might want to let some of your… _fans_ know that or they’ll fight and steal them flower by flower.”  
   
 Victor curled protectively around his bouquet in his crappy kitchen glass. He _absolutely_ couldn’t let that happen! Although, if it did perhaps he would have an excuse to go back to Katsuki flowers. Perhaps this time it would be _Yuuri_ that would make him something. He tapped his lip as he slowly made his way over to his desk. That would be a perfect excuse. He could just leave the flowers in the glass and walk over to the break room with the pretense of getting a proper vase. If he took the time to actually fill it with water - maybe overfill it. Yes that would give him enough time so that they might steal the flowers. It was perfect, nothing could go wrong.  
   
 He couldn’t believe how wrong that went. He hid his face behind a hand as five women stared at him with some variety of mangled bouquet, looking somewhat ashamed at least. Not over the bouquet, or the fighting, no. However, his desk was beyond repairable now. His computer would have to be replaced. Yuri was clearly suppressing laughter as he hung out documents to dry. Victor _hoped_ that none of those required a signature by the end of the day. The worst part would be Yuri’s ‘I told you so’, even though Victor did it _on purpose_.  
   
 At the same time, _because_ he did it on purpose it was difficult to scold the women. Thankfully, Yuri did part of that for him. All he had to do was take Yuri’s ideas and tone them down. It meant that the rest of his typical routine was now ruined. The rest of the day was spent sorting through the papers that had been soaked, and reprinting any irreparable ones that needed his attention. Unfortunately, it sent both of them skittering around the department for the rest of the day to get at least the critical work done.  
   
 “Yuri!” Victor called as the boy turned to leave, bag already hitched over his shoulder.  
 “What?” Yuri scowled. “I’m done for the day, I just want to go home.”  
 “Let me get you dinner or something at least?” Victor owed him an apology at least. If he heeded Yuri’s advice, neither of them would have had such a hectic day.  
 “Kay,” Yuri mumbled.  
 Victor was a little surprised, expecting a little more fight than that.  
 “You owe me because you _ignored_ me on purpose.” Yuri glanced up at him. “You’re showing me that damn shop too. I deserve to see just _why_ we had to deal with that.”  
   
 A small chill settled over Victor at the thought. He really wanted to see Yuuri again, but on his own terms and not with someone else in tow. He sighed.  
 Yuri scowled. “No. You’re showing me the shop, regardless of food. _You will not bribe me_ if you want me to field those harpies.”  
 “Fine, fine,” Victor sighed. “It’s… probably not what you’re expecting though.” He wasn’t entirely sure what he was expecting either. He just… wanted more of the warmth that Yuuri just seemed to exude and share with everyone around him. A smile twitched at his lips when he recalled the first large bouquet.  
 “Whatever. Let’s go. You can just get me some street food on the way back to the bus,” Yuri grumbled.  
   
 Yuri was kind enough to at least entertain Victor with the video of what occurred in the ten minutes he was gone. Yuri claimed (rightfully) that he guessed that Victor left it there on purpose after his warning and decided to sit back to watch and record. They both cringed slightly when the first topple occurred over the papers. The women didn’t seem to care though, not until the there was a deathly silence moments before the ungodly shriek of the blue screen. Part of that was only recorded by chance, as Yuri put his phone against his pen holder when the work was getting _too_ disarrayed. Victor was well aware of how much time Yuri spent sorting his papers, he was the best of any interns that the company had so far. Victor listened carefully as the youth ranted about their inconsideration for other people’s time, other people’s _ears_ , and especially Victor’s own work and—.  
   
 Victor blinked. “Sorry, repeat that?”  
 “I said,” Yuri huffed. “I sure as hell hope you aren’t interested in any of them.”  
 “No, I’m not,” Victor smiled.  
 Yuri crossed his arms. “You’re not. You wanted me to suffer through that for what then?”  
 “I didn’t think it would be that bad,” Victor admitted. “How long did IT say it would take?”  
 “Two days,” Yuri grumbled. “One to reformat and reinstall everything and another to restore all the files.”  
 Victor sighed.  
 “It’s only two days because you’re working on the project due in the next week. You’d be without it for a week otherwise.”  
 “Thank you, Yuri.”  
 “What?”  
 “You’re the one that pushed that request through, no?” Victor glanced at him. Yuri looked down at the train floor, a bare hint of a smile on his face.  
 “The next stop,” Victor noted. Yuri nodded and an awkward silence fell over them as he led Yuri to the shop.  
   
 Yuri scoffed at the delicate flowers scattered across the ground. “Lame.”  
 Victor shrugged. He loved thinking about what the garden might be, but that didn’t mean everyone would feel the same.  
 The familiar sound chimed as he entered and his heart leapt into his chest. The last time he was here he thought that the woman was a fairy. Yuuri though, Yuuri was practically ethereal as he went across the store, building up… something in a strange green block.  
 “Oh my god.”  
 Victor barely noted Yuri’s whispered facepalm. Victor wanted to say something, but he wanted to see just _what_ Yuuri was building. It was half finished when they walked in and was about three thirds filled, he would guess.  
   
 It was then that Yuuri paused, staring at it for a moment before looking around the store and seeing them for the first time.  
 Victor thought his heart would leap out of his chest when Yuuri _squeaked_ and stammered his apologies. He knew Yuri would be rolling his eyes at the action.  
 “Sorry, I didn’t want to interrupt,” Victor managed to get out.  
 Yuuri shook his head. “No, I’m really sorry. I’m too used to my sister being around as well. I forgot that she had a date today.” His smile could melt snow with its warmth.  
 “I’m sorry, I missed that.” Victor couldn’t believe he was so distracted by Yuuri’s angelic smile that he missed what was said. He didn’t, however, miss Yuri’s gagging noise behind him. Victor smiled slightly and subtly elbowed behind him, managing to hit some flesh.  
 “I asked if your bouquet made it alright.”  
 Victor sighed dramatically. “It made it to work just fine…”  
 “The harpies tore it apart,” Yuri muttered.  
 Victor kept the smile plastered on his face. Harpies was rather overboard for the women that were fighting over the flowers. Although they did destroy his computer, so he wasn’t feeling friendly enough right now to correct Yuri. Especially since only one of them kept coming by to help.  
   
 “Harpies?” Yuuri looked between the two of them quizzically.  
 Yuri filled in when Victor remained silent. “Yeah, the women that moon at him at work. I _told_ him to tell them that they were just for him and then—”  
 Victor left Yuri to recount the story as he took in more of the store. The first time he was here he noticed the gardens, and the cut flowers. Now, it seemed like there were small arrangements everywhere. Five different bouquets were displayed in vases, each of a different size. Victor had no idea how they all worked together with the different flowers and different sizes, but the set just _worked_.  
 “Oi!”  
 Victor turned back to look at Yuri. “Oh? You’re done recounting the day already?”  
 Yuri looked at him as if he was crazy, but Yuuri simply laughed.  
   
 “Oh, Yuuri do we have guests?”  
 “What?” Victor turned around to see the rockstar again.  
 “Welcome back,” the two others replied at the same time.  
 Victor laughed. “You don’t live here, Yuri. Why did you answer?”  
 “Shut up,” Yuri groaned, burying his face in his hands. “Just get your goddamned flowers.”  
 “Oh. You again.” The woman looked him up and down. “She didn’t like it?”  
 Yuuri laughed. Victor immediately forgave anything and everything Yuri might throw at him this week if he could just hear that again. The cadences of Yuuri’s voice far outshone any choir he had heard. It’s echoes rang as Yuuri proceeded to retell the highlights of the story, causing the rockstar to laugh.  
 “So, clearly my _brother_ here can’t help you. What would you like? The same thing?” She walked in, setting a bag down behind the counter.  
 “Can you make a ‘Fuck you’ bouquet,” Yuri mumbled.  
 “Sure thing there, Yurio. It will make it much more hilarious when they fight over that one then, no?” she grinned.  
 “ _What?_ ” Yuri stared at her.  
 She turned back around to face them. “Well if you’re going to answer questions that are clearly not for you, there needs to be some way to tell you two apart.”  
 “He’s Yuuri,” Victor pointed out.  
 Yuri pressed two fingers to his temples and walked out the door. Victor counted the seconds.  
 Yuuri fidgeted with the hem of his shirt as he glanced between the door and Victor “Is he—”  
 Yuri screamed.  
 Victor smiled at Yuuri. “He’s fine. Just the stress.”  
 Yuri walked back in, looking like the world would bend at his feet. “Makes sense. Yes a ‘Fuck you’. I’ll count that against the food you owe me.”  
 “Oh, you could have just _told_ me you wanted a bouquet too, Yurio!” Victor teased. Yuri opened his mouth, closed it, then threw his hands up into the air and walked out the door. Victor hid a small smile behind his hand. It was rare that he managed to successfully tease his intern.  
 “Is he alright? Mari didn’t really mean anything by it,” Yuuri fretted.  
 Victor smiled. “He’s fine! He’s always like that. Actually, he’s usually worse than that.” He tapped a finger against his lip. “I imagine the thought of these girls fighting over a ‘Fuck you’ bouquet amuses him.”  
   
 Mari snorted as she began to flit across the shop. It still amazed him how different the two siblings looked while they were working.  
 “She’s single you know,” Yuuri murmured.  
 Victor looked back at him.  
 “Mari,” Yuuri continued, turning his head away for a moment.  
 Victor tilted his head to the side slightly. “I’m just amazed that you’re both human. The way you both move around I feel like I’m watching the Fair Folk at work.”  
 Mari and Yuuri’s heads both snapped towards him. Mari was behind Yuuri, quietly losing it while clutching her stomach. Yuuri… Yuuri looked like he was watching stars being hung right in front of him.  
 “You didn’t know?” Victor tilted his head to the side slightly.  
 Yuuri turned a bright red and turned around. Mari started laughing harder.  
 Yuri poked his head in, a scowl still fixated on his face. “What the fuck are you losers _doing?_ ”  
 “Yuri! Don’t they both look wondrous when they work?”  
 “Whatever. Stop your flirting and get the damned flowers. I’m hungry.”  
 Victor gave Yuuri an apologetic smile as he paid for the bouquet that had blossomed under Mari’s care. Yuuri refused to meet his eye as Victor paid.  
   
 He let out a sigh as he handed Yuri the bouquet outside the shop. It didn’t seem that Yuuri had the same interest in him.  
 “Pathetic,” Yuri muttered.  
 Victor pouted. “So what if I am?”  
 “ _Both_ of you.” Yuri looked at him, a deeper scowl on his face. “Don’t tell me you missed it?”  
 “What?”  
 Yuri stared at him for a moment before stalking off. “ _Idiots! The both of you!_ ”  
 “Yurio! Have some respect for the neighbours!” Victor called as he chased after him, wondering exactly how Yuuri could possibly seem like an idiot to Yuri.  
   
 Victor never really noticed rain before, beyond bringing an umbrella. Now, he was standing under his umbrella, looking up at the dark sky. The sounds were soothing, and he was certain that Yuri’s bouquet would seem even brighter amidst the darkness. If it was still raining later, perhaps he would walk past Katsuki Flowers. He didn’t know if he would have the courage to walk in again after last night, but it might remind him of the good that the rain could do.  
   
 He glanced around again. The rain made for a smaller crowd at this stop at least. His heart jumped into his throat as he saw a familiar face walk up. He sighed and looked up at the sky before glancing back at the dreary bus stop. Except it wasn’t dark and weary anymore. Yuuri. Yuuri was there just holding a newspaper over his head and quickly getting soaked through. Victor didn’t even think as he left his spot near the front of the line and held the umbrella over both of their heads.  
 “Would you like to share?” His words felt smoother than he did. Every nerve was screaming at him and he fought to keep a reasonable distance. What was reasonable anyways? How easy it would be to just _ask_ him to dinner or something?  
 Yuuri laughed, and Victor was falling off a cliff, at least until the sun shone with Yuuri’s smile.  
 “It’s like how we first met.”  
 Victor stared at him. “What?”  
 The smile went away and Yuuri’s eyes dropped.  
 “I… nevermind.”  
 Victor panicked. He wasn’t even sure what words came fumbling out of his mouth. There was something about the umbrella and another about the ginormous bouquet where he had first _noticed_ Yuuri.  
   
 It wasn’t the sun that shone in Yuuri’s eyes now, but something warmer, brighter somehow. It soaked right into his skin and settled somewhere in his heart.  
 “Would you like to get dinner?” they chorused. A moment of silence, and Victor swore someone in the line snickered.  
   
 The smile was back. “Pick me up at the shop when you’re done?” Victor nodded, barely noticing as Yuuri spun him and pushed lightly to the bus.  
 “Oh! Tell Yuri that his bouquet doesn’t mean what he thinks!”  
   
 Victor turned back to face Yuuri as the doors closed. Yurio was the last thing on his mind. He had a _date_ to prepare for. _A date!_


	2. Where Yuuri takes a leap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri just keeps making mistake after mistake. But they turn out for the best

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri's POV got much more... ... elaborate than I thought it would.
> 
> Also, I know enough about floral arranging to get into trouble - but not actually enough to know what is difficult. I only know the types of pieces that I hated to arrange onto tables.

 Yuuri stared up at the sky and sighed. Of all the days for it to rain, it would be today. Water was good for the garden and everything, but he didn’t particularly cherish getting wet. Not only did he have to get up early to make sure he could FaceTime Phichit, but did he mention it was _raining_. Mari already took the good umbrella, and if he continued to procrastinate like this, he would miss the competition all together.  
   
 So Yuuri did what anyone else would. He happened to have a book he wanted to get signed, which would be unfortunately damp when he got there. There was nothing he could do about it though. He _could_ have just woken up when Mari came by, but instead he decided to sleep in for the extra ten minutes. It was looking to be an absolutely _perfect_ day, it would probably end the same way too.  
   
 Yuuri sighed as he got to the bus stop. Thankfully the rain was barely a drizzle. He might not get absolutely soaked before getting there. As if the sky heard him, the rain began to truly pour. _Absolutely_ perfect. He would get there soaking wet and miserable, just _perfect_ condition for a competition. The day was truly doomed. He started when the pelting rain stopped hitting his head, and was ricocheting off of something else first. He glanced up to see a black umbrella over his head, attached to a business man. He was bundled up just as Yuuri was, his eyes focused more on his feet and the road. Yuuri’s eyes cast over the man, trying to find the words to thank him.  
   
  
  
 Clearly, _something_ hated Yuuri today; because as he opened his mouth, the bus pulled up. Yuuri closed his mouth reluctantly and boarded the bus at the man’s gesture. It also made sense to go on first, so that they both could stay ‘dry’ as long as possible. Unfortunately, he lost the will to talk to the man with the umbrella as he sat down, half the bus away.  
   
 It gave Yuuri time to take in his appearance. His grey hair - was grey the appropriate colour? - was slightly damp and clung to him. There was a faint forlorn air that surrounded him, engulfed him. The more Yuuri looked, the more he wanted to just see him _smile_. Or not look quite so lost in the woods. Yuuri remembered that face, his sister looked the same when they moved and he was too young to understand why she felt so alone.  
   
 Yuuri would get the man’s number, he promised himself. He would get up in three… two… one… His legs locked on him and he stared at his knees. His heart quivered and he took in a shaky breath. It couldn’t be that hard? Maybe he could just start off with the thank you. But, the stranger seemed in his own world right now. What if he was a writer and he interrupted his train of thought? Yuuri did that only once and he vowed to never do it again, Phichit would kill him on behalf of other writers.  
   
 A tap wouldn’t be amiss though would it? Yuuri shook his head, no that might still be too jarring and he didn’t want to intrude in the other’s personal space. He would just get off at the same stop and call out to him. If he was ignored… it wasn’t meant to be.  
   
 Yuuri nodded to himself. Yes, that would work. If he didn’t turn or anything, Yuuri wouldn’t interrupt him. He jolted as the bus pulled into the train station and scrambled to get off with everyone else.  
   
 He barely managed to make it into the same train car as the man, the doors closing just behind him. Thankfully, they were still going in the same direction. Yuuri let out a slow breath. He could do this, he could.  
   
 He swore all he did was blink, and the man was gone, and Yuuri was left staring at the back of his head as the train pulled away.  
   
 “I was such an idiot,” Yuuri moaned. He folded his arms and collapsed onto the table as he recounted the day.  
 Mari laughed. He couldn’t really blame her either. If the roles were reversed he would definitely be smiling.  
 “Hey, if you see him you can bring it up again,” she teased. “Is that why your arrangement looked like that?”  
 The theme of the competition turned out to be ‘longing’, for which he may, or may not, have taken a ribbon. He would find out for sure tomorrow, but he had _seen_ other competitor’s jaw drops. Or maybe it was just that his was that horrific.  
   
 When Yuuri called Phichit that night, as well as send him the image, laughter to rang over the phone within moments. It seemed to be a laugh at Yuuri day. The corner of Yuuri’s mouth twitched slightly. He couldn’t really fault them either though. He laughed too in the end after all.  
   
 Tomorrow Yuuri would go back and see how he did. Or he would wait to hear from Phichit, that sounded like a much better idea. Except if he wanted to get the prize money, he had to go tomorrow. Yuuri pressed his temples.  
 “You’re going tomorrow.” Mari’s tone was final. “Maybe you’ll run into tall, dark, and handsome again too.”  
 Yuuri’s heart jumped into his throat. What would he even say to him?  
 “Not dark,” Yuuri mumbled.  
 Mari shrugged. “Well that’s who he is until I see him. Oh. You’re going to have to make a delivery in a few days too. Car’s scheduled for a tune-up and it _had_ to be that date.”  
 Yuuri looked up. Mari refused to meet his eyes.  
 He scowled. “What are you hiding?”  
 Mari shrugged. “You’ll see soon enough.”  
 “Great.” Yuuri buried his head back into his arms. “It’s another ‘masterpiece’”  
 Mari flicked his head. Yuuri looked up and smiled wanly.  
 “Those _masterpieces_ help us pay the rent you know.” She chuckled. “I think you’ll get a real laugh out of it though.”  
 “Seeing it or delivering it?”  
 Mari tilted her head slightly. “Both? Probably more delivering though.”  
 “Great,” Yuuri grumbled. “Can’t wait.”  
   
 He knew why Mari was laughing at him now. Yuuri stared at the monstrosity in front of him. He had no idea how he was going to _see_ , never mind deliver it.  
 “Mari…”  
 “I know, hysterical isn’t it? Wonder what the sucker did.”  
 “ _Mari_ ,” Yuuri’s voice pitched higher. “ _How will I see?_ ”  
 She shrugged. “Hold the paper at eye level and look around it.”  
 Yuuri had no idea what type of sound came out of his throat, only that his sister ducked her head to laugh quietly.  
 “You _owe_ me.”  
 She just smiled and waved.  
 This was going to be another bad day.  
   
 Yuuri swore that Mari was sabotaging the car on purpose. Because this was now the _third_ time she said something was wrong and it was in the shop. This time, at least it was a more manageable bouquet. She would have owed him more than katsudon to go through something like that monstrosity ever again. Yuuri shuddered at the memory. Why did these people always want early deliveries? He swore that Mari wanted to kill him and his sleep schedule.  
   
 “You’re planning something,” he complained.  
 Mari shrugged and grinned at him. “Maybe. Doesn’t change the fact that you need to deliver that tomorrow morning. Be happy I’m limiting deliveries to one a day while the van’s in for repairs.”  
 Yuuri pouted slightly, hoping to get a reaction from her. She just reached out to ruffle his hair with a smile.  
 “I’m too used to that look baby bro.”  
   
 Yuuri sighed and stared again. This surprise had better be worth it.  
   
 Yuuri closed the door to the shop behind him, almost jolting out of his skin when someone _flew_ at him, enclosing him in their arms.  
 “ _Yuuri!_ ”  
 “Phichit!” Yuuri laughed and let out a huff. “You scared the crap out of me!” He stared a moment longer. “Wait…”  
 Phichit winked. “Yup! I’m your surprise! I’m sorry about the delivery though… Mari snap chatted me a picture.”  
   
 Yuuri groaned. “I can’t really blame her either. That entire _day_ was a nightmare! This _week_ has been a nightmare!”  
 Phichit stepped back to look at him critically. “I think you’re blowing things out of proportion again. Let me take you out for dinner - my apology for dealing with that bouquet - and you can tell me about it.”  
   
 There was no way Yuuri could say no. Even if he did, Phichit would eventually weasel it out. It made him a stellar reporter. Yuuri just wished he didn’t practice on him so much.  
   
 By the time they finished eating, Yuuri had told him about: his meeting with tall, dark, and handsome, the monster bouquet, the disaster delivery, and his third failed meeting. He still lamented that he saw Mr. Handsome too late, and his anxiety swallowed any courage he had in that moment.  
   
 Phichit, as always, listened and listened well. Yuuri wasn’t certain if he had ever seen that particular look on Phichit’s face.  
 “What?” Yuuri squinted at him.  
 Phichit pursed his lips slightly and glanced out the window for a moment.  
 “Yuuri… why does it matter so much to you?”  
 Yuuri opened his mouth, then closed it again. Why _did_ Mr. Handsome bother him? Normally he was able to shrug it off, but this time it was bothering him. It was _still_ bothering him.  
   
 Phichit shook his head and smiled, sliding something towards Yuuri. “But, this is why I really wanted to see you, I promised after all.”  
 Yuuri glanced up and his breath caught. His hands ghosted over the cover.  
 “it’s the second draft,” Phichit explained, staring down at the table. “I mean, you can do whatever you want with it. But, I promised.”  
 Yuuri’s voice caught in his throat. Both of their names graced the front page. He would be the first other person to read this. He drew it close and held it close to his chest. Phichit smiled slightly at him, his shoulders loosening.  
   
 Yuuri stared at the table. If he thought about it more, he might cry.  
 “No, but seriously, Yuuri after you read it throw it in a fire or something?” Phichit smiled.  
 The laugh broke the strange constriction on his chest. “No! Why would I?”  
 Phichit shrugged. “Because draft three is in the works already. Now, how about you tell me about Mr. Handsome? What did you notice about him?”  
 The answer just tumbled naturally out of his mouth. “He seemed lonely.”  
 Phichit raised an eyebrow.  
 “I… I want to see him smile.” Was he blushing? It felt like he was blushing. He fully expected Phichit to tease him, but his friend was oddly silent, simply observing. Yuuri began to fidget.  
   
 A large smile broke over Phichit’s face and he sat his chin on his hand.  
 “Oh?”  
 “It’s not like that!” Yuuri protested. He thought his stomach reached his feet when Phichit got a look in his eye. He remembered that look from college, when Phichit was about to push Yuuri out of his normal boundaries. The last time, they had signed up for pole dancing lessons together.  
   
 Phichit sat back, the same grin on his face. “I changed my mind!”  
 Yuuri waited for the other shoe to drop.  
 “You’re going to read this.” Phichit tapped the cover. “Then bring it back to me. But before you finish it, you’re going to read it at that stop. Every. Day.”  
 Yuuri’s jaw dropped. That was unfair!  
 Phichit pressed a finger to Yuuri’s lips with the same damned grin on his face.  
 “I’ll randomly check on you too~ So be sure to be there!”  
 “How will you know if we miss each other,” Yuuri grumbled.  
 Phichit huffed. “Really Yuuri? You aren’t _that_ good of a liar you know. And I have inside sources!”  
 “You mean you would get Mari to rat me out.” A small smile broke over his face.  
 “Precisely!” Phichit winked. “So, let me know how it goes when you meet him again? Okay?”  
 Yuuri laughed and caved in. “Okay.”  
   
 The downside to Phichit was that he was _exhausting_. They walked around for a while, catching up on gossip (along with selfies of course) before Yuuri begged off for early mornings. It was an extra ten minutes or so of Phichit pouting before Yuuri was able to return home and collapse in his workspace.  
   
 At least until he had a text from Mari about a ‘weirdo’ customer at the front. He texted back to remind her about ‘no loitering’, they weren’t a public garden and the flowers would be more vulnerable to heavy feet right now. Then he opened the picture she had attached to it and almost dropped his phone in his scramble to the door. He stopped just at the top, just out of sight around the corner.  
   
 He smiled at Mari’s no nonsense tone. His heart did a weird flutter when the man admitted there was no ‘other’ in his life. But his smile felt lonely when he said he wished that he was simply apologising. That there was someone to apologise to. Would he like it if Yuuri made him an apology arrangement? That might make up for his awkward moment at the bus stop. For his _several_ awkward moments with the bus. Yuuri listened carefully at the door. His favourite colours were golden yellow, dark blue, and light purples. Oh and brown like his poodle - no lilies then.  
   
 Then, Mari started to make the bouquet and Yuuri’s heart sunk. Victor was enraptured by her, he could tell. His eyes were glued to her form as she deftly placed each stem into its place. He wouldn’t ever be able to compete with her proficiency. While he might be able to get prize money from competitions every now and then, Mari was their breadwinner. He slumped against the wall. Why was he so troubled that the man liked Mari?  
   
 Oh. Yuuri looked back up as Mr. Handsome was leaving. Yuuri began to open the door wider, pausing for a moment to collect himself. He came out as the door closed. Mari looked over him, surprise written all over her face.  
 “Yuuri?”  
 “ _That_ ,” he mumbled. “Was ‘tall, dark, and handsome.”  
 Her jaw dropped and her head whipped back to the door. Yuuri was able to grab her hand as she went to the door.  
 “It’s okay.” He smiled at her. “I think he likes you.”  
 Mari stared at him. “What the _hell_ made you think that?”  
 Yuuri shook his head. “Just… the way he looked at you.”  
 “Right, like a lost idiot that knows nothing,” Mari snorted. She ruffled his hair. “You have a lot to learn about love.”  
 “Mari,” he whined.  
 She shook her head. “Nope, believe me. That was the look of someone that’s just lost in the world of flowers. No crush.” She touched his nose. “I will not steal my baby bro’s infatuation.”  
 Yuuri’s mouth dropped, ready to protest.  
   
 Except… everything suddenly clicked. Yuuri sank to the floor and put his head in his hands.  
 “But… how? I never even _talked_ to him!”  
 Mari wrapped her arms around him. “It doesn’t always work like that. Maybe it was something weird that drew you to him. Like how he has silver hair.”  
 “I thought it was grey,” Yuuri mumbled.  
 Mari laughed. “Maybe. Who knew that you liked older men, hm?” She nudged him playfully. Yuuri gave her a weak smile. He liked a man that had never really met, or even talked to.  
 “Phichit made me promise to read his book at the stop,” Yuuri admitted.  
 Mari shrugged. “You should. Maybe see if tall, dark, and handsome looks your way if you’re sitting there.”  
 Yuuri sighed. “If he doesn’t?”  
 “Then you either ask him out or forget him,” Mari shrugged. “Either way, at least you’ll be able to talk to him.”  
 Yuuri hated the idea of it. Even more, he hated that it was a good idea. He would rather avoid the entire thing. And he knew just how to do it.  
   
 Business people loved their routines. Since Yuuri first saw the man when he had to wake up at ungodly hours, he decided to just wake up when he normally did in order to avoid him.  
   
 Yuuri swore that Fate hated him. Because he saw Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome trying to walk to the bus stop quickly with his bouquet _in a water glass_. It took Yuuri a moment to process exactly what he was seeing before he let himself laugh and approach him. Even if he had a crush on his sister, he owed it to her work at least to not let it be ruined.  
   
 Yuuri tapped the man on the shoulder. “They won’t last like that.”  
 Wow, he never noticed before how _blue_ the man’s eyes were. He was being creepy now, this wasn’t why he was here. He hummed Phichit’s favourite song as he glanced around. There were usually one or two of the daily papers discarded around. He smiled as he managed to catch one before it flew too far off the bench. He gestured to the flowers. It would be difficult to wrap them if Mr. Handsome continued to hold them so close. Yuuri angled himself so that he would block most of the wind while he wrapped them. Except that he wasn’t moving the flowers at all. Yuuri glanced back up and tentatively touched the flowers. Words were getting stuck in his throat. He could just ask for the glass, he _could_ do it.  
   
 Disappointment welled in his chest when the man simply handed over the glass. Then it dropped to the sidewalk as the man whispered.  
 It took Yuuri a moment to realise that Mr. Handsome introduced himself, and the time to wrap to process to realise that it would only be appropriate to offer his own in turn. How did he even manage to live a normal life when he was just a socially awkward wreck like this? It seemed like Victor was trying to comment on that too, given how he was still staring. Yuuri glanced up, willing the moment away by pointing out the presence of the bus.  
   
 If it had been a day ago, Yuuri might have ignored it. He would have offered a coffee to apologise for delaying him. He wouldn’t have been so awkward as to forget for several seconds to give his _name_. He sat down on the bench as the bus pulled away and dropped his head into his hands. How could he have been such an _idiot?_ He could only hope that he wouldn’t have to suffer through that again.  
   
 He would blaze through Phichit’s work today, since clearly Fate hated him. Thankfully, when he returned ten minutes later to the shop, Mari had a slew of themed orders for him. He was able to spend the rest of the day just burying himself in the sample arrangements.  
   
 He still didn’t really believe her though, that there would be an engaged couple coming to look at some sample designs to see if they wanted _his_ designs at their wedding. Mari told him that they claimed to see his design during the public viewing of the competition. He was fairly certain she was embellishing their praises. His work wasn’t _ethereal_ , or even _evocative_. He sighed partway through the design.  
   
 “How’s it going?” Mari peered over his shoulder.  
 Yuuri gave her a small smile. “It’s okay. They wanted six right?”  
 Mari nodded. “Three centrepieces and three centerpieces for the head table that—”  
 “Should connect across the table.” Yuuri pursed his lips. “It’s not easy.”  
 “I have faith in you,” Mari smiled. “How’s tall—”  
 “I ran into him today,” Yuuri cut her off. He kept his gaze firmly on the flowers. “Saved your bouquet too.” He scrunched his nose. “He had them in this… tiny _water_ glass.”  
 Mari broke down laughing, using his shoulder as a crutch. He sighed and threw the foam in the trash.  
 “Hey!”  
 Yuuri shrugged.  
 Mari sighed and tapped him on the shoulder again. “I’m meeting up with Phichit. Take care of the store orders?”  
 He nodded absentmindedly as he glanced around the shop. “Okay, I’ll stay here instead of the workshop.”  
 Mari smiled. “I’ll poke you to get some rest when I get back. Tomorrow! You will tell me what happened.” She flicked his nose then sauntered off.  
   
 Yuuri sighed and smiled slightly as the bell jingled. At least Phichit had _sort of_ saved him from the Sibling Inquisition. Thankfully, it had yet to become the Parental Inquisition. Yuuri glanced up at the calendar. Actually, this weekend might turn into the Parental Inquisition if Mari told them anything about what had been going on. He would have to talk to her tomorrow after all, if only to avoid bringing up his disastrous crush to their parents.  
   
 He shook his head. He wanted to get at least one sample done tonight, or enough of an idea of what he even wanted to do. Yuuri tilted his head slightly as he considered the containers available to him. Trailing would work best with ivyes, but he wasn’t sure he could get a _nice_ look across an entire table with them. Unless he could…  
   
 Yuuri began moving around the shop, slowly placing in things he would need. It would be a short container. He could use branches and some of the tubes to carry the design further to the next container. The tricky part would be hiding the tubes nicely within the branches. The tricky part on top of that would be making them all transportable.  
   
 Well, he was up for the challenge for now at least. If he didn’t have at least one decent idea by the end of the night, then he was going to call them and explain exactly _why_ the headtable design was ridiculous. He was tempted to do it anyways, but he could use the distraction.  
   
 Some part of him registered the bell again, but he continued his perusal of the flowers.  
 “Oh my god.” The whisper broke him out of his trance and he almost jumped out of his skin at the people in front of him. Victor. Victor was here. He started apologising for not seeing them, then apologising for being horrible at apologies. Yuuri took a moment when he realised how much he was babbling and counted to five in his head, he could do this. He could be professional. He just had to smile and be friendly for a while. He could do it even if he had an infatuation with one of the customers, and said customer had a crush on his sister. He would be a Model Professional.  
   
 Victor it seemed, beat him to the punch and was just waiting for his horrible spiel to stop so that he could get in a word to apologise himself. Yet, it was much smoother and confident than Yuuri’s own. He sighed inwardly, he could never hope to be that put together. He could just pretend. He shook his head at Victor’s apology and explained how he hadn’t been listening for the bell. He really had no excuse, especially when Mari purposefully told him that she would be out so that he _would_ listen for the bell.  
   
 He was being awkward again, he could tell. Victor’s eyes were glazing slightly.  
 “Did the bouquet make it?” he asked timidly. He didn’t quite understand the drama that was happening between the two men, he supposed something strange happened at work. He couldn’t actually imagine people _tearing apart_ a bouquet like that though. Especially if it was just sitting on someone’s desk. It seemed very rude. They were likely like Phichit, embellishing the story, although he wasn’t quite sure what would happen so that the embellishment would be ‘harpies’ tearing apart a bouquet. Yuuri smiled and listened, even as an eye continued to follow Victor. His heart seemed to pound harder as he stared at some of his earlier arrangements.  
   
 The younger seemed to catch that both of their attention was wavering and called them both to attention. Yuuri couldn’t help a small laugh at it, or how blatantly Victor had not been listening to the story, as if it had pained him.  
   
 His eye was drawn back to the door as he saw two familiar shapes. His heart dropped down to his stomach. If Mari _and_ Phichit came in he didn’t know how he would handle it. Phichit seemed to understand at least, and peeled away with a wave at the door and throwing Yuuri two thumbs up. His face must have gone up at least five degrees with how warm he was suddenly feeling. But no, he couldn’t. He had to remember that.  
   
 Victor and his friend didn’t even seem to hear the bell, or even notice that they were in the way until Mari pointedly got their attention. Yuuri offered her a half hearted welcome back with a smile. He did a little double take when Victor’s companion echoed him and Victor laughed at them both - or not. He gave a half smile at the other Yuri.  
   
 He couldn’t help but laugh at her question about his return, knowing the story that Yuri told him about the bouquet.  
 “Well, it seems that they had a bit of an adventure with it,” Yuuri explained. Mari just raised her eyebrow and tilted her hip slightly.  
 “There may have been a fight over it. That resulted in his work computer getting ruined.”  
 Mari whistled. “Damn, I’m good.” She looked back over at the two to get their attention. Yuuri wanted to sink to the floor and hide in his workshop when she pointed out their relationship. A large emphasis on _brother_ He was still completely confident that Victor had a crush on her. It would be ridiculous not to. Yuuri couldn’t help but smile as she teased Yuri about his new nickname, likely just to rile him up. For some reason she liked doing that to customers she liked. Yuuri glanced over at Victor, wondering if that might be why. They would be a cute couple. _Oh no_. Yuuri said she had been on a date. It was his default answer when either of them was out with Phichit because it was the only way people wouldn’t bother to find them.  
   
 Their time with Phichit tended to be rare, and they guarded it safely. He would have to make sure it was clear to Victor that she was single since he had possibly already mucked this up. He frowned as Yuri stalked outside.  
 “Is he—” Yuuri started but stopped as Yuri screeched outside. He stared in disbelief, and a smaller part of his brain right now hoped they wouldn’t get a noise complaint. That was the disadvantage of turning the lower floor into their workspace. He only half heard Victor’s reassurances as he kept an eye on Yuri, who came back in with a request, before walking out again at Victor’s teasing? He wasn’t entirely sure that he was teasing him or not. Yuri seemed to be doing some deep breathing exercises now. He glanced at Victor again while Mari got to work on Yuri’s bouquet. Well, he wouldn’t know unless he asked. Except it seemed that asking got him an eyeful of Victor watching Mari work.  
   
 His heart plummeted further, he didn’t realise that partway through he hadn’t minded as much as long as they could talk. He took in a deep breath before he brought up her availability. He couldn’t look at Victor, seeing him hopeful would hurt too much right now. He needed time to deal with his infatuation.  
   
 “I’m amazed that you’re both human,” Victor commented.  
 Both? Yuuri was included in that too? No, he had to have heard wrong.  
 “The way you both move around I feel like I’m watching the Fair Folk at work.”  
 Yuuri snapped to look at him. He did say both! Did he actually stand a chance? His brain reeled as it began to catch up. How the hell did they both look like fairies?  
   
 Then Victor just had to be _perfect_ and tilt his head slightly and ask if Yuuri had _known_.  
 Yuuri _knew_ that his face was ten degrees hotter now, but somehow he didn’t really care. He didn’t even care that Mari was laughing at him, that Phichit would give him a knowing smile when they met up later. How could he even _look_ at him now? He wanted to hide even more until he knew just what to do with these feelings.  
   
  _Both_. Both of them. And, the Phichit voice in his head pointed out, he never bit at the fact that Mari was single. Victor acted normally to her, beyond calling them _both_ fairies. Yuuri only looked up when he felt air brushing by his cheek. Mari was fanning him with a gleeful smile on her face. Victor and Yuri had both left. Yuuri groaned. He did not want to talk about this right now. He didn’t even know what he wanted to do.  
 “You.” Mari’s grin was still plastered on her face. “Are going to call Phichit over. Now. Go on, then you can hide for the rest of the night.”  
 Yuuri whined, but she wasn’t having any of it. His heart was thumping too much in his chest right now, but Phichit always helped. Phichit stopped him from going off of the deep ends. Besides, he still had to return the book.  
   
 He still hated that Mari watched him make the call. At least the speakerphone helped.  
 “ _Yuuri! Did it go well? It went well didn’t it? Mari told me!_ ”  
 Thankfully, Mari took over at that point and told him to just come over for dinner. Yuuri protested, arguing that they already ate. Mari won though, given that Yuuri hadn’t and Mari had planned on opening a cake tonight for them all. At that point, Yuuri couldn’t argue anymore.  
   
 At least he was able to hide in his workshop until Phichit arrived. The scent calmed him down somewhat, but it tonight it also excited him more. He kept wondering if that might be a flower that Victor would like, and oh, it would go well with that one as well.  
   
 Yuuri was grateful when Mari and Phichit both pulled him out of it to eat.  
 “Really, Yuuri! You need to take better care of yourself!”  
 “I get distracted!” Yuuri argued. He pushed his empty bowl hopefully toward the cake. Mari sighed and cut him a thin slice to start.  
 “You can have more _after_.”  
 Yuuri sighed and sadly forked at his sliver of cake.  
 “Don’t give me that! We both know you’d just fall asleep with a larger one.”  
 It didn’t have to stop him from sulking though.  
 “There’s not much to tell really?” Yuuri sighed as he put the first miniscule piece in his mouth.  
 Phichit sighed. “ _Really?_ Are you going to try and pull that on me Yuuri? Well how about you tell _me_ everything? Since I’ve heard absolutely _nothing_ from your sister.” Phichit pouted at her.  
 Mari shrugged. “Gossip line is drawn at my bro’s love life. Poke at mine all you like, you can hear from him directly.”  
 “See what I have to deal with?” Phichit complained. “Even if I’m asking how you’re doing it’s ‘why don’t you just call him?’ _Yuuriiii_.”  
 Yuuri laughed and rested his chin on his hand. “Okay, but beware of possible sudden revelations again.”  
 “He’s had one of those since you last saw him already,” Mari nodded.  
 Phichit shot her a glower before looking back at Yuuri with rapt attention.  
 “Well… after I met with you I went back home to work. Mari was bored too I guess because she texted me a picture of someone loitering… I didn’t really look before telling her to remind them of our policy and well… it was him.” He glanced over at her. “She didn’t know that until after he left. I was watching them both… I thought that he had a crush on her the way he looked at her.”  
 “Wait,” Phichit interrupted, pointing his fork at Yuuri. “ _Thought?_ ”  
 Yuuri glanced down at his cake and twirled the fork in his hands. Maybe if he ignored Phichit he could get through this without a blush.  
 “He came back today,” Mari picked up the story.  
 Phichit waved a hand and shook his head. “No wait, I want it all. Please, continue Yuuri.”  
 Yuuri glanced back up. “Well, after that I decided I would listen to you. To a point. I purposefully went late to the stop this morning. I figured he was a routine type person. But he was late and…” Yuuri had to pause to laugh and wipe away a tear. “He-he had his bouquet in this _tiny_ water glass and was trying to stop it all from blowing away. I helped him rewrap it and well… he introduced himself and I was an _idiot_ and forgot to give him my name for a while.”  
   
 Mari cackled over her piece of cake. Yuuri sighed, he had a feeling that she would be laughing about all of this for a while.  
 “Then… he showed up today with a co-worker.” Yuuri shrugged. “Said something about how Mari and I both looked like fairies. I may have mentioned she was single too but…”  
 “He didn’t say anything,” Phichit surmised. He nodded. “That’s why you _thought_. Tell me then, Yuuri… what do you want to _do?_ ”  
 Yuuri blinked at Phichit and avoided the question by shoving the rest of his want-to-be-slice into his mouth.  
 Mari reworded the question. “Yuuri, how do you _feel?_ ”  
 “Confused. Like my heart keeps bungeeing off a cliff.”  
 Phichit shrugged. “Ask him out.”  
 “What!” Yuuri’s fork clattered to the bowl.  
 Phichit leaned forward. “You want to know don’t you? Get it over with. Ask. Him. Out.”  
 Yuuri looked pleadingly at Mari.  
 She shrugged and leaned back. “I agree. At least then you’ll either have the soaring feeling and I get to tease you more, or you make a clean break. It might not feel like a win at the beginning, but it’s better than letting yourself mope - and we know after you get into a mindset you’re going to mope.”  
   
 She was right, with the design requests starting to come in, he couldn’t afford to be off his game. He slumped in his chair and pushed his bowl back towards her.  
 “If it goes badly we’ll go out,” Phichit offered. “Like old times.”  
 “Phichit…” Yuuri shook his head. Phichit had a reputation to uphold now. He couldn’t possibly ruin it.  
 “Nope. Not your decision. Besides.” Phichit winked. “That’s a part of me too isn’t it?”  
   
 Yuuri smiled slightly and ate from the decently sized piece Mari gave him, feeling much better about the morning.  
   
 Clearly the morning didn’t feel the same way. The only thing he could be grateful for was that the week’s flyers were out by the front door so he was able to cover his head as he ran to the bus stop, slowing as he approached. His heart leapt and he smiled to himself as he saw a familiar head of hair in the line. How would he approach him though? He didn’t want to appear to be cutting in line. His heart leapt as Victor peeled away from the front to walk towards him, meeting him where he was.  
 “Do you want to share?”  
 Yuuri felt like the ground disappeared beneath his feet, that this would happen the very day he was going to ask him out. It was a repeat of their first meeting. It felt like everything would go right.  
   
 Until Victor admitted he didn’t remember and Yuuri fell from the sun into the ocean.  
 “I first saw you when you had that bouquet? The one that you couldn’t see around? Or that was the first time I actually _saw_ you? Yuuri please?” Victor pleaded. “What did I forget? Did we meet before? How could I have forgotten that? Please? Yuuri?”  
   
 Yuuri looked back up at him and suddenly was flying again. Victor didn’t remember then, but he remembered that… gargantuan _mess._ He almost wanted to laugh. But he was here, he was looking at him, at _only_ him. He needed to get it over with.  
   
 Yuuri didn’t expect Victor to have the exact same question as him. A smile broke out over his face and he was flying back to the sun. _Dinner_. A date. He glanced up to see the bus coming, and he was _not_ going to let this end like last time!  
 “Pick me up at the shop when you’re done?” Yuuri was fairly certain that Mari wanted him to do groceries, but she could do them this once. _He had a date_. He actually had a goddamned date.  
   
 He blinked, suddenly remembering pieces of last night as he pushed Victor to the bus. Yuri’s request, along with the flowers Mari picked… He managed to shout a warning to Victor just before the doors closed.  
   
 His smile would be imprinted on his brain for the day now. Yuuri hummed and skipped back to shop in the rain. He couldn’t wait to call Phichit now, he promised after all. Mari would be beside herself laughing until she realised she would have to carry all the groceries on her own.  
   
 But none of it mattered. Because Yuuri Katsuki would be out on a date tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of the first installment. I currently have just two ideas fermenting. One of Yuuri meeting the 'harpies' and one where Yuri discovers that his bouquet doesn't mean what he thinks.
> 
> It's been a blast.
> 
> See You Next Level.


End file.
